Charlie Worsham Praises Dolly Parton, Talks Songwriting

"I've been on a Dolly Parton kick lately. She schooled everybody -- all the guys in country music can't hold a candle to Dolly," he tells Yahoo Music. "I mean, she was getting songs cut on other artists, she was singing them better than the other artists were singing them. She had all those successful albums with Porter Wagner, and then she had the audacity and the songs to start her own solo career -- one of the best careers in all of country music."

The 28-year-old has been trying to carve his own niche in the country music industry. He attended the Berklee School of Music and plays banjo, mandolin, fiddle and guitar and can hold his own on drums, piano and bass, making him one of the most well-rounded artists in the arena.

Worsham is working on the followup to his debut album 'Rubberband,' and he says he finds most of his songwriting inspiration when he's on the road.

"It's a great place to be inspired because I'm around the people who make it all possible -- country music fans," he says. "I'm actually working on writing songs for whatever my next release is. I'm ready to play some new stuff. I've had so many experiences out on stage playing for audiences that I'm ready to bring in some new energy. Everybody says 'uptempo' in the business, but just energy, fun."

But Worsham isn't only writing on the road. He says that being a songwriter means that it is always on your mind, no matter what you're doing.

"Even in your sleep, you’re always thinking about it in the back of your mind," he says. "The true writing -- when you’re officially writing -- that’s just when it's front of mind, but it's always there. You’re always listening for a hook."